Visas and settlement
Ranked from a Sri Lankan passport, on the routes that are actually open to it.
AbroadMaster research from official immigration pages and SLBFE dataVerified August 2026
Every global mobility ranking is written for someone else's passport. This one is not. It is the list this site exists to publish.
Employment visa, 2 to 6 weeks
Main route and typical timeline
Largest destination for Sri Lankan workers, and a visa office in Colombo
Work visa, 4 to 8 weeks
Main route and typical timeline
Recruitment must go through an SLBFE licensed agency
EPS E-9, 6 to 18 months
Main route and typical timeline
Requires the EPS-TOPIK Korean language test, run in Sri Lanka
| Rank | Country | Main route and typical timeline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th place | MalaysiaShort flight, English widely used, strong Sri Lankan community | Employment pass, 2 to 6 weeks | Short flight, English widely used, strong Sri Lankan community |
| 5th place | JapanSkills and language exams are held in Colombo | Specified Skilled Worker, 3 to 9 months | Skills and language exams are held in Colombo |
| 6th place | Work visa, 4 to 10 weeks | ||
| 7th place | Saudi ArabiaLargest single employer of Sri Lankan workers by contract volume | Work visa, 4 to 10 weeks | Largest single employer of Sri Lankan workers by contract volume |
| 8th place | RomaniaEU route with lower requirements than western Europe | Work permit, 3 to 6 months | EU route with lower requirements than western Europe |
| 9th place | Work permit type A, 2 to 5 months | ||
| 10th place | SingaporeFast processing, but the salary threshold rules most applicants out | Employment or S Pass, 3 to 8 weeks | Fast processing, but the salary threshold rules most applicants out |
AbroadMaster research from official immigration pages and SLBFE data
Verified August 2026
Compiled by AbroadMaster from the official pages of each country named above. There is no single published index behind this list, and we are not claiming one.
This is information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules and figures change without notice. Confirm anything you plan to act on with the official authority for that country, and check your own position with the eligibility checker.
Visa-free reach, with the Sri Lankan passport measured on the same scale.
How many years of legal residence it actually takes to stop needing a visa.
How easy it is to settle in, make friends, and stop feeling foreign.
